


The Mad Prince

by 0bviousLeigh



Series: Yuma is a Girl [42]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Gender or Sex Swap, Other, Past Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 10:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13634277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0bviousLeigh/pseuds/0bviousLeigh
Summary: Astral faces off against Numbers 96 and Yuma comes to a realization about Vector.





	The Mad Prince

**Author's Note:**

> According to the YGO [wiki](http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_ruins#Number_64.27s_Ruins) and [this](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/yugioh/images/a/ad/LegendaryNumbersMap.png/revision/latest?cb=20130614161958) map, 56’s ruins and Vector’s castle are located on an island between Australia and Africa. That geography, however, does not match with what we saw Vector’s culture was like. Those islands were primarily inhabited by Polynesians and Aboriginals, among others, which Vector those three are probably not. So I am switching things up. I am placing Nasch and Marin in Crete, and I am locating Vector’s kingdom in the area of Croatia and Bosnia. Not getting into specifics because eeeeeehhh I don’t know much about that history and even though I don’t get a lot of comments from people I don’t know already, I don’t want to start fights.

**“I know where the Number is,”** Don Thousand hisses in Vector’s head. **“I saw its location while I searched deep through your memories.”**

“My memories?” Vector asks. There’s so many directions he can go with that—first of all, how could he know where the card was if he’d never heard of it before? Second of all…

 _‘Creepy,’_ a voice sounding an awful lot like Yuma’s says. Vector shakes that off—he shouldn’t have Yuma’s voice in his head.

“ **It matters not** ,” the God says. “ **Focus on the job at hand**.”

Vector rolls his eyes. He exits the worm hole in his human form. He finds Number 96 controlling a human man and sweet talks the spirit into joining forces with him. He’s not afraid to give 96 a little power, for he has much more. To think that Yuma was afraid of 96—the Number seems quite easy to handle.

The two (or rather three, including the God sharing Vector’s headspace) of them travel to the location of the ruins. The castle has a European flair to it, or what’s left of it at least. Half the castle remains standing, and if Vector were human he would fear for the stability of it. He blows the front door open and 96 breezes in. Vector makes to follow, but as soon as he puts one foot in the threshold, a sensation unlike anything he’s ever felt takes hold of him.

Vector freezes. Every hair on his body stands on end, his breath freezes in his lungs, and every cell in this human body of his screams at him to _flee, as far and as fast and as desperately as he can—_

“Scared of the dark?” 96 calls.

Vector snaps out of his stupor. He steps into the castle and follows 96, trying to remain outwardly calm while his thoughts spin out of control.

“This place is delicious,” 96 coos, “Full of suffering human spirits.” He laughs, “Humans build history atop history, ignoring the ghosts buried below them.”

Vector doesn’t respond, but when they arrive at a branch of tunnels and 96 asks where they should go, his body moves without his brain telling it to, going to a tunnel that leads to a secret room.

“Have you been here before?” 96 asks.

Vector shrugs. “How should I know? I don’t remember all the centuries,” he says vaguely. His palms are starting to sweat. He hopes they leave soon.

 

* * *

 

“KATTOBINGU!” Yuma hoots at the airship rocks and she careens from side-to-side on her board. She skids up the walls of the ship, across railings, and into solid objects that will certainly give her bruises.

“I wish you would sit down,” Kotori sighs.

“Then I would miss all the fun!” Yuma shouts. Thank god she remembered her helmet.

When the airship lands, Yuma leaps out battered and bruised but feeling renewed. Her adrenaline is pumping and she feels ready to take on the world.

The ruins of a palace rise above the tree line, jagged and crumbing, half of it gone. But the damage itself is…creepy. The walls look like a hand has come down from the sky and torn chunks from the old palace. As they jump over a stone bridge that’s still standing even though the middle part of it has collapsed, Yuma half expects to be confronted by Sir Didimus, or hear David Bowie’s voice calling out to her from the woods, _Turn back before it’s too late._

As they emerge from the woods and onto the grounds of the palace, Rio freezes and a shudder runs visibly through her body.

“I don’t think we should go in there,” she blurts.

“We have to,” Astral says. “The Number is in there.”

Yuma glares at him. “Hang on, let’s hear her out,” she says. She puts her hand on Rio’s arm. “What’s up?”

Rio hugs herself, rubbing her arms. “This place…it’s full of bad energy. Ever since I came out of my coma, I’ve been kind of…sensitive, around old buildings, and…graveyards. And this place, it…it feels like a graveyard but worse. It’s like a…battlefield. Like it’s full of dead people and all of them died horrible, painful deaths.”

Kotori backs away quickly.

Yuma’s not sure she believes in ghosts, but she certainly believes in old areas that are brimming with the energy of those who once lived there. It’s something her dad believed in, too. He said that before a dig, he would learn local culture and call a traditional practitioner to come and tell the spirits that he meant no harm. He said that sometimes he felt things that were out of place, like it wasn’t what he was feeling, but the emotions of others invading his head. He said he had never felt anything unpleasant—clearly Rio was having a much different experience.

“You don’t have to go in,” Yuma and Ryoga says together.

But Rio shakes her head. She turns on her phone flashlight and walks into the palace, heading for a staircase that goes down to the depths of the ruins. Yuma, Ryoga, and Kotori follow. The walls are covered in paintings and old writings that Yuma can’t read.

Rio stops a few steps down. She lays her hand on the wall and inhales deeply. “What happened to you?” She murmurs.

Yuma sits on a step. “I think we can try a séance of sorts,” she says.

“Séance?” Astral echoes.

Yuma looks at Kotori. “You don’t have to,” she says.

But Kotori sits, as do Ryoga and Rio. It’s awkward, being on stairs and at different heights, but they make it work. Yuma digs through her backpack and grabs a candle and lighter. She lights the candle, they all join hands and Yuma closes her eyes.

“If anyone is with us, please make your presence known,” She says.

At once a chill passes through the tiny space and the candle goes out.

“Okay then,” Yuma says.

Kotori is shaking and she has tears in her eyes.

“Please don’t scare my friend,” Yuma asks sternly.

The chill fades.

“Thank you.”

The candle relights. Kotori squeaks.

“I can hear them,” Rio says. “They want me to tell the story of these ruins.”

Yuma nods. “If you feel comfortable with that.”

Rio closes her eyes, takes another deep breath, and her face goes perfectly blank. She speaks in a monotone _. “The Prince who ruled these lands called this palace home. He was young and naïve, and he had no faith in those around him. Unto anyone he doubted he cast his judgement. Countless executions were performed at his bequest, until finally everyone who once lived in this land had fled or was killed. Realizing what he had done, he was consumed with madness, and cut his own life short. That is the story of this cursed palace.”_

Rio gasps and opens her eyes, slumping over. Ryoga catches her before she can tumble down the steps. The circle of their hands is broken, and the candle goes out once more. Kotori covers her face and sobs.

“I’m going back to the ship with Kotori,” Rio announces.

Yuma nods. “Yes, and while you’re at it, call Kite and tell him about what’s been going on. I’ve got a feeling we’re in over our heads.”

“Should we have him come here?” Rio asks as she stands and takes Kotori’s hand.

Yuma shakes her head. “Nah, don’t tell him to do anything. We’ll see what happens.”

Rio nods. She and Kotori go back up the stairs, and Yuma and Ryoga continue down.

 

* * *

 

While 96 battles the duel spirit, Vector clutches his chest and staggers into the ancient throne overlooking the execution arena. Whatever Don Thousand did to him is excruciating, on top of the pain he feels seemingly from just being in this damn palace. But the throne is a good place to be, it gives him an excellent view of the arena.

96 absorbs the Number and turns to Vector. “Those pesky humans and my weaker self are here,” he says.

Vector grits his teeth. “I’ll have them fall into a trap so we can make our escaepe.”

“No,” 96 says. “You will trap them, but I will duel Astral and defeat him. Then his body will be mine.”

 _‘Gross,’_ Yuma’s voice says in Vector’s head. Vector hates the inside of his head.

“And we can use that girl as bait,” 96 continues.

“No,” Vector growls. “Yuma will remain trapped, and physically unharmed.”

“I didn’t know you cared for her,” 96 scoffs.

“I want to duel her myself!” Vector shrieks, pounding his fists on the arms of the throne. “Besides that, if Astral dies, Yuma will suffer and it will be fun to watch!”

96 concedes, and Vector falls back against the throne to wait. In truth, he doesn’t want Yuma loose in this palace while he’s in it. He can take her on any other time in any other place, but not here, not when this place makes him feel so physically ill.

Oh, and not in Sargasso. He’ll never send her there again.

By the time Yuma, Astral and Ryoga fall into one of the Palace’s traps, Vector has recovered his wits enough to taunt the three of them. “You’re too late, Yuma-chan,” he says. “The Number’s been taken.”

Yuma reaches her hands through the bars of the jail and claws at the air. “I’ll duel you for it!” She screams.

Vector shakes his head. “No, it’s Astral we want.”

“We?!” Yuma cries.

96 makes his appearance, and Vector is just glad that Yuma’s attention is directed elsewhere. He draws his legs up on to the throne and sits on his feet. He doesn’t want to look at Yuma, but he can’t help it. He’ll never admit it out loud, but that frail human child…frightened him in Sargasso. The things she said to him, the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice…it was one he recognized, so he knew she meant every word. When Sargasso took hold of her and changed her, changed Zexal, then Vector knew it had been a mistake to bring her there. Again, one he would never admit to.

Yuma was a monster, just like he was, and that terrified him. Vector was used to being the scary one, the one who wanted spilled blood and crushed bones and suffering. To see someone else who wanted it, wanted it of _him,_ that was new.

96 summons Number 65 and Vector hugs his knees. “Why does that Number make me feel so weird?” He mutters to himself.

96 taunts Astral. “How can you think yourself worth of anything? You’re weak, you’ll never be able to absorb Chaos Numbers without me. You need my power.”

“BULLSHIT!” Yuma screams.

Vector reaches for a chain next to him and tugs on it. A giant boulder descends from a tunnel and crushes a nearby pillar, sending debris flying. Yuma yelps and scurries back.

“Keep your mouth shut,” Vector tells her, “Or I’ll destroy this temple with you three in it.”

96 laughs and gives Vector a smirk. “It really is like you’ve been here before.”

 

* * *

 

Those words send a shock through Yuma. Still clutching the bars holding her back, she falls to her knees. She thought it had been a fluke, that Durbe had been the Hero in Mach’s legend, but if 96 thinks Vector has been here, in this palace before…is it possible that Vector is connected to this legend?

96 attacks Astral. Vector rocks back and forth on the throne, giggling viciously. He looks crazed, he looks horrified, he looks confused…

Astral starts fighting back. 96 is panicked. Yuma’s whole focus has zoomed in on Vector. Sitting on that throne like he belongs there.

“The young prince had no faith in those around him…” Yuma murmurs to herself. “He cast his judgement and killed with abandon, until in the end he killed himself.”

Across the room, Vector stares into Yuma’s eyes.

“It was you,” she whispers.

96 and Astral’s duel ends in a draw. Vector vanishes into a wormhole, 96 behind him.

“Fuck,” Ryoga hisses. “How are we supposed to get out of here?”

Yuma is in too much shock to think of anything, but she doesn’t have to. Kite decided to get himself involved in the nonsense after all, and he shows up with Orbital strapped to his back, to cut the bars on the jails and fly them out of the building. Yuma is silent the entire time. Vector is a piece of work, but he’s young in his human form. Was he that young when he died? Does he really remember the palace? Or does he remember nothing, like Durbe? And if Durbe and Vector are connected to the ruins, are all the Barian Emperors connected to them? But Vector told her there were five Barian Emperors and there are seven ruins…she could be wrong, then. Or maybe Vector lied to her about how many emperors there were.

“What’s the matter with you?” Kite asks as he and Orbital drop Yuma and Ryoga outside the ruins.

“She just faced Vector,” Ryoga says.

“Vector?!” Rio shouts. Yuma jumps—Rio and Kotori are running to her. She holds out her arms and they both hug her.

“He was there, with 96,” Yuma mutters. “Astral dueled and…and 96 got the Number.”

Rio strokes Yuma’s hair. “You poor thing,” she says. “I can’t believe those two are working together.”

Ryoga fills Kite in on what’s been happening, and Kite says that he wants in on the hunt.

“You okay to keep going?” Ryoga asks Yuma.

She nods. She has to be okay with it. With Ryoga holding her hand and Rio and Kotori leading the way, their party heads back to the airship. They take off with Ryoga steering them to the next location, and Yuma finally gathers her wits and approaches Rio.

“Hey, Rio?” She says softly.

Rio turns to her. “Yeah?”

“The Prince in the legend,” Yuma says slowly, “Why do you think he killed himself, in the end?”

Rio blinks at her.

“I mean, do you think he was sorry?” Yuma asks, “Or do you think he was just…that crazy? Sorry, crazy is the wrong word. Mentally unstable. That had to have been it, right? No stable person would order everyone in their entire kingdom to be killed.”

Rio nods. “I mean, I guess we can never truly know. Historians and doctors have diagnosed conquerors and tyrants with mental instabilities before, but we never can really know.”

Yuma nods. “Which is more depressing though, the thought of him being that untrusting, or the thought of him being that insane?”

Rio shrugs. “He was young, the spirits said that much. I don’t think he lived to be older than twenty.”

The last person Yuma wants to have pity for is Vector, and she doesn’t want to have pity for a murderer either, especially not if her theory is correct and those two are the same person.

But she thinks of a young prince, suffering from something invisible, unable to trust anyone, lashing out at everything. He must have been terrified, he must have felt so alone, until finally he couldn’t even trust himself…

There had to be a reason. She thinks it over and over. There _had_ to have been a _reason._


End file.
